Box-toe and blank therefor.



F. EfBUTTERPIBLDfDEGD.

n. M. BUTTERFIELD, ADMINISTRATOR. BOX TOE AND BLANK THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1913.

' Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

EUGENE M. BUTTERFIELD,

EDXJI'OE AND. BLANK THEREFOR.

Specification of il'ietters Patent.

Original application filed August7, 1911, Serial No. 642,690. Divided and this application filed August 2, 1913.- Serial Np. 782,697.

'1 '0 all whom it may concern Be it known'that FRANK E. ,Bu'i'rnnrmr.1), late of Wakefield, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, deceased, did invent certain ments in Box- Toes and Blanks Therefor, of

which the following is a specification, this application being a division of the application filed August/7, 1911, by Frank E. Butterfield, Serial No. 642,690. 1

This invention relates to the manufacture of'boots and shoes, the toe portions of the uppers of which are stiffened by a box-toe formed during the operation oflasting the too portion of the upper instead of being formed or molded'prior ,to the lasting operation. 4

The invention has for its object to enable a properly stiffened and durable forepart to be produced more perfectly and quickly than heretofore, and to reduce to the minimum the cost for producing a stiffened upper forepart.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,-Figure 1 represents a side view of a box-toe-blank used in practising the invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of a shoe upper before lasting, the said 'blank being incorporated in the upper and the upper being shown applied to the last without being conformed thereto. Fig. 3 represents a View similar to Fig. 2, showing formed to the toe portion of the last. Fig. 4 represents a side view of a portion of an unlasted vamp, and a box-toe blank and a toe cap attached thereto, a portion of the toe cap being broken away to show a portion of the box-toe blank. Fig. 5 represents an enlarged section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters indicate the same or similar parts-in all the figures.

In the drawings,-12 represents the vamp portion of a shoe upper and 13 represents the usual or any suitable toe cap attached by stitches 14 to the vamp and adapted to be new and useful Improvethe upper con-*- blank maybe placed loosely on the inner side of the toe cap and interposed between the toe cap and the toe portion of the vamp 1n case the latter is formed to cover the upper surface of the toe portion of the last. I prefer, however, sewed shoes to stitch the blank as shown by Figs. 4 and 5. The blank 15 is made of a fibrous absorbent material, preferably felt, although it may be cdmposed of one or more layers of textile fabric, if desired. The material of theblank in any case, must be of such naof absorbing a fluid to the vamp,

ture that it is capable stiffening material vor composition.

In carrying out my invention, I saturate the blank with a composition or material having a relatively low melting point whereby it may be softened by a degree of heat which is not injurious to the upper leather, and yet be stiffened by composition is provided, forinstance, by making an alcohol solution of shellac composed of eight pounds of shellac and one gallon of alcohol, and mixing with this a solution of boraX dissolved in hot water, suitable proportions .per in its comprehensive sense as including the vamp, the toe cap and the blank 15.

The parts of the upper having-been assembled in suitable relation to the last, as

Patented Jan. 12, 1915'.

portion of the upper in cooling. A suitable conformed to and cover the toe portion especially in McKay being one ounce of I borax to two ounces of water.

The blank 15 having been saturated with- .by cooling.

indicated by Fig. 2, I soften the blank by heating it to a degree which preferably is not injurious to the, leather'parts of theupper, the" degree of heatemployed being (in the case of the particular composition spec1-' fled) prcferably'from The composition above described has a relatively low melting-point so ed to be softened to render the blanklimp and flexible, by a degree of heat such asthat above indicated, this heat being liability to injure the'leather. While the blank is softened by heat,-I conform the en tire toe portion of the upper, blank, to the toe portion of the last by the usual lasting, operation, the blank 15- conformingreadily and accurately to the surfaces of the last against which itispressed, and receiving?therefrom .the form of a boxtoe 15. (Fig.3).

After the lasted portionhas been suitably secured, either ,tempor'ar'ly or otherwise, to

' thel'ast, the box-toe 15 is allowed to stiffen Owing to the relatively low de* gree of heat required to 'soften the blank, the box-toe into which the same is converted by the lasting-operation, is stiffened and hardened in a correspondinglybrief period, and will retain its shape during wear of the shoe. I find in practice that in making a McKay sewed shoe it is practicable to remove the last from the shoe immediately after the upper has been lasted and the outer sole laid, the box-toe having been sufficiently stiffened by cooling at the end of the sole-laying operation.

I donot limit myself to the above described composition, there being many'other materials or compositions which may be used with the same results. In any case, the stiffening material should be capableof re sisting the heat of the body so that it will not'be softened by bodily heat when in use.

Moreover, the composition should be practically insoluble in water so that it will not be softened by dampness to which it is likely to be subjected when in use. I I am aware that a box-toe felt has been treated with a solution of shellac and'has been softened by means of a solvent of shellac, such as alcohol, and while so softened has been conformed to the toe portion of a last by the operation of lasting the upper. The box-toe formed by lasting the wet blank has to be thoroughly dried to stiffen it, the drying operation consuming much more time than is required to stiffen the box-toe by cooling in accordance with-my invention. Moreover, the employment of a solvent is objectionable on account of its cost and its combustibility.

It is obviousth'at a box-toe blank treated as above described, is adapted to be softened without in ury-to the other portions;

of the upper and without injury to the ma- 110 to -120i'de-grees F.

that it' is adapt- ,passing through .t shown --by Fig. 5.

includingthe 1 blank made of and of hardening terial of the blank-itself by the application of heat thereto, there being no liability of, scorching or weakening-5 the materia'l the blankby'eficessive heat. l Y

"I'have omitted the usual cloth lining in Figs. 2 and 3,'for the sake of and clearness. 1 a

,16 represents; a reinforcing strip of: thin cloth, which covers the joint formed bythe the vamp 12, and blank 15,'the portions of which passthrough the vamp and blank also e reinforcing strip, as The strip 16 is laid, on the inner surfaces of the vamp and blank, as shown by Figs.; 2

,a complete McKay 'sewe l- Shoe,',.ren 1;oved}from the last and provided withtached in the usual manner,

lc a mr- 1. A shoe having a (hog toe consisting of a single thickness ofsabsonbe I taining stiffening .composi 'onl on-material capable of being softened -lr z a degree'of heat which is not injurious toleather, not of being softened by the heat experienced during ordinary wear, said fibrous material, with the stiffening material there: being in thepositionint whiclrjt was lasted when said stiffening material was heated and softened. r 2. As an article of. manufacture, :a boxtoe blank of absorbent material containing a stiffening material adaptedto besoftened while dry, byJ-a temperature of. approximately 110 F., and adapted to resist softening by a lower temperature,substantially as described.

3.-As an article of manufacture s, boxtoe blank of an absorbent materialfeontaining a dry stiffening material, adap to be softened by a temperature of approxr 110 F., and adapted to resist softening by a lower temperature. j

4. A box-toe blank prepared forp'lasting in a shoe consisting-of a sheet oft fibrous absorbent material impregnatedi'w'ith a stiffening material which is capable of-be= ing softened and rendered plastic byheat upon cooling, saidblank being in a heated plastic condition iii which it may be readily conformed to the shape of the last during the lasting operation.

imp c ty the zigzag stitches 14cand ,3. Fig, 2slaows an inner sole 19 applied to. thelast .20. Big. 3 shows the;toe-portion tof an.{oute r -sole 21 atmaterial; conbut mately lot 5. A shoe upper prepared for lasting'yhav- 1 ing assembled therewith a toe stiffener blank in a heated plastic condition, said blank consisting of asheetof fibrous absorbent materialimpregnated with a stifl'enijngjmaterial which is capable of beinga'solftened and rendered plastic by heat and of hardening upon cooling blank'when the shoe is completed.

'6. As a new article of manufacture, a

so as to stiifen the toe stifi'ener for boots endshoe's consisting of a sheet of fibrous material impregnated With a stiffening material which is capable 'of being softened When heated so as to be lasted in a shoe when so heated, Which is capable of setting on-'co01ing,-and which when set is unaffectedby moisture or the heat of the human fqot. t 

